Venetian blind



Dec. 12, 1944. A. F. RICE ET AL I VENETIAN BLIND Filed April 1'0, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 12, 1944. A. F RICE ET AL VENETIAN BLIND Filed April 10, 1943 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFmE VENETIAN BLIND Adelbert F. Rice and Albert E; Rice, Cleveland, Ohio Application April 10, 1943, Serial No. 482,640

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to the art of Venetian blinds, and its purpose has been to produce a blind of this general type doing away with certain objectionable features of the blinds commonly used today.

As is well known, the ordinary Venetian blind comprises supporting tapes, two or more of which are employed for each blind for carrying the slats and for effecting the tilting of the latter at proper angles for light control. The tapes usually employed are made of specially woven material and formed peculiarly with ladder members so that they constitute one of the most expensive features of the blind construction. Moreover, these tapes are located intermediate the ends of the blinds and interfere with the ease of cleaning the slats for the removal of dirt and dust.

Another feature of the ordinary blind construction is the employment of lift cords which are threaded through openings in the blind slats and are usually located intermediate the front and rear portions of each of the supporting and tilting tape sections.

In carrying out the present invention, a primary object attained is the elimination of the use of the supporting tapes and the provision, and

substitution therefor, of tilting and supporting cords located spaced from the ends of the slats and therefore in no way interrupting the continuity of access to the slats for cleaning or other purposes.

Another object of the invention has been to eliminate the use of the lifting cords intermediate the ends of the slats because the latter in the present invention are likewise located spaced from the ends of the slats and at the sides of the window frame where they likewise in no way interfere with the cleaning of the slats. The lift cords and supporting and tilt cords used in this invention, being disposed at the sides of the win dow frame, do not interfere with the entrance of light in any way, which is another advantage of their employment according to the invention.

Still a further object of the invention has been to provide means in the form of guiding and housing parts applied to the opposite sides of the window frame and in which the lift cords and the supporting and tilting cords in the slats will be disposed out of-view as regards the working pordetracting from the appearance of the blind, are

invisible, afiording a further advantageous arrangement over the ordinary blind practice of construction and disposition of the parts.

According to this invention, the only portions of the tilt cords and the'lifting cords visible are at opposite sides of the window and constitute the operating portions that are required to be manipulated in the operation and use of the blind.

With the foregoing and other objects of the invention in mind, certain preferred constructions of blinds according to the novel structures above referred to are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure ,1 is a front elevation of a window frame partially broken away at a. portion'intermediate its upper and lower ends illustrating the adaptation of this invention thereto as one preferred embodiment. j 1

Figure 2 is an end view of the blind as mounted upon vtheframe of the window according to Figure 1', showing more particularly the arrange ment of the slats, lift cords, supporting and tilting cords, and the head rail support for the tilt ing gear unit.-

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View through theguide means used for guiding the movement of the slats upwardly and downwardly,and for housing the lift and tilt cords or equivalent flexible members, the mode of attachment of the tilting member to the end of the adjacent slat operating mechanism; v

re 8 is-"a horizontal sectional View of the being also illustrated.

Figure 3a is a detail view of the tilt gear showing the mode of attachment thereof to the uppermost slat of the-blind.

Figure 4' is a vertical fragmentary sectional view of the modified form of the invention as regards the meansfor attaching the slats to the tilting cords.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken about on the 7 line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of combined slat and end tilting member as when integrally struck from a single piece of metal. I

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modification of the invention showing a window frame, the same broken away at the left portion so .asto show the head rail and the tilt bar or slat at the upper end of the frame and the operating means for the supporting and tilting cords, as wellas one of the lift cords at one side 'ofthe blind, the housing and guide member being omitted so as to show the cord arrangements and guide means and one of the tilting members atthe manner in which the tilt cord is tied around an end portion of one of the tilt members attached to each slat.

Referring to one embodiment of the invention,

as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and of the drawings, a Venetian blind embodying the invention will now be described. In Figure l, A denotes a window frame conventionally illustrated and which may take different forms as customary in the art. The Venetian blind unit itself comprises the usual horizontal slats I which may be made of wood, or of metal. These slats extend across the window frame between the sides thereof, as customary, and are tiltable and adapted to be lifted for controlling the entrance of light and air through the window after the customary manner of operation of ordinary Venetian blinds. At the upper end of the window frame is the usual head rail 2 having a sup: porting bracket 3 depending therefrom, in which is mounted an actuating shaft 4 of a tilt unit which may comprise the outer cord actuating wheel 5 at the inner and of the shaft 4 for partly turning said shaft in either direction. On the shaft 4, at its inner end, is an actuating gear 6 which may be a bevel gear that meshes with a corresponding tilt gear I whichis mounted upon an axis carried by the bracket 8 depending from the end of the head rail 2 and said gear is formed with a suitable flange or plate extension 9 for attachment to the uppermost slat I of the blind after the manner illustrated in Figure 341.

It is obvious that by manipulating the operating ends II] of the tilt cord that passes around the tilt wheel 5 the gear 8 may be turned partially in either direction to actuate the gear i and thus rock the uppermost slat I for tilting adjustment, as desired.

The uppermost slat I has secured thereto the tilt cords II, and these cords extend downwardly spaced from the ends of the. adjacent slats, and

are attached to the lowermost slat I of the blind.

At each end of the blind and the slats of which. it is composed are two of the tilt cords II spaced from the slats in the manner described.

Spaced means are employed {Oral-tackling the Y tilt cords H to each slat, and this means isibest shown in one embodiment, in Figure 3 as, com? prising a tilt member I! for each slat. the same being in the form of a flat. plate connected by a short neck portion I: to an attachment member I4 which may be composed of spaced upper and lower sides, between which is. received and clamped the end of the slat I which is carried by the member II. The tilt member 2 for each slat is formed with a central slot or opening I5 throu h which theliit cord Hi t one nd of t blind passes: vertically. inc said member- I21s likewise re ee with vertica eneninss. '11 through which the tilt cords II: pass vertically. Ea h mem er I2. likew se provid d with. e d sl hawn M L8 hic e slil th end. portions of the member I2 to be squeezed together slightly in the horizontal plane of the body of the member, thereby to clamp portions of the member I2 at the opening I! firmly into lateral engagement with the cords II to establish a suitable connection between the two tilt cords I I that cooperate with each member I2 and such member. The lift cords I6, one of which is employed for each end of the blind to cooperate with the slats of the latter at such end, are two in number. As shown in Figure 1, the cord at the left side of the window or blind passes downwardly through all of the tilt members I2 through the slots or openings I5 thereof, and is provided with a small abutment part 20 at its lower end engaging the underside of the lowermost slat I. At the upper end of the blind the left-hand cord It may pass through a slot 2| in the upper surface of the head rail 2, over a pulley 22a at the left end of member 2, and leads over one of two pulleys 22 on the right-hand end of said rail 2 and thence downwardly along the right-hand side of the window for ready manipulation at its operating lower end, to be pulled for lifting action of the blind slats. The right-hand lift cord I6 is engaged with the lowermost slat in the manner described as regards the left-hand lift cord, and passes through the tilt members I2 at the right-hand ends of the slats upward around a second one of the pulleys 22 on the head rail 2, and thence down alongside the depending portion of the cord I6 first described, thus bringing both of the operating ends of the two cords I6 adjacent to one another at the right side of the blind and window.

Obviously, by pulling downwardly upon the lift cords IS, the lowermost slat will be raised and as it is raised it abuts with the superposed slats in the customary way and will elevate these also for the raising action of the blind after the mannor of ordinary operation.

As regards the tilting action of the blind slats I it is obvious that by pulling on one dependent end of the tilt operating cord III, the uppermost slat I will be tilted in one direction, and since the tilt cords I I are attached to all of the remaining slats at the outboard portions or ends of the tilt members I2, the various slats will be tilted in a corresponding direction. Grasping of the other dependent end of the tilt operating cord ID will tilt the slats I in an opposite direction simultaneously, after the above described manner of action.

Now in order to render the lift cords I6 and the tilt cords I I at the sides of the window frame invisible, it is contemplated to employ a guide and housing member 23 attachable by suitable fastening means 24 to each side of the frame A. The guide and housing member 23 affords an enclo'sure not only for the said cords I6 and II, but for the tilt members I 2, and additionally provides the function of guiding the movement upwardly and downwardly of the slats under the actuation of the cords I6. Furthermore, the members 23 prevent the slats of the blind from moving inwardly and outwardly, and the swaying of the blind as found in the ordinary Venetian blind construction as used today is thus entire- 1y eliminated. In other words, accurate vertical movement of the slats is always compelled in lifting and lowering the same, and the members 23, are formed with vertical slots at their inner sides as at 23a in order to receive the neck portie s 3 which connect the members I: with their attachment plates or portions l4 applied to the slat ends directly.

In Figure 4 there is illustrated a modified means of attaching the tilt cords H to the tilt members l2. According to this construction, each member I2 is provided with a clamping thimble tapering oppositely from its middle portion so as to prevent displacement of the clamp from the openings 26 of the parts l2. By squeezing the middle portions of the thimbles 25 against the tilt cords passing therethrough, the latter may be eifectively attached to the parts In Figure 6 there is illustrated a construction of slat Ia and tilt-member lZa, which are integrally made of a single plate or fiat piece of metal struck out to provide these members in one piece. According to this construction, the slats when made of metal can be stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal.

In Figures 7 to 11 inclusive there is illustrated a modification of the invention in which the construction and mode of operation of the parts are practically the same as in the form of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive.

In the modified adaptation of Figures '7 to 11 the parts which are substantially like those previously described bear the same reference characters. It is noted, however, that the tilt gear la and the actuating gear 511 are pressed metal gears of somewhat cup-shape, the teeth of which are provided by serrations. This affords a simple and cheap way of manufacturing the gears, but they function as do the gears 5 and 1 previously described.

Also in the modified adaptation the tilt member lZa works like the member 12, as above described, but may, if desired, be made of a casting formed withend knobs 21 connected by narrow or neck portions to the body of the tilt member which is of loop formation to provide the slot or opening l5a. In this form of the invention the tilt cords or members Ila may be formed into a single knot loop around the neck portion adjacent the knob 21 of each member l2a, thereby to connect the cord with the tilt members of the various slats I. This affords a very simple way of providing the attachment or connection of the tilt cords lSa with the various tilt members. The

attachment of the tilt members I20. with the slats I is effected much the same as provided according to the first described construction herein set forth, the attachment member being designated Ma and including spaced plate parts receiving the ends of the slats I and frictionally clamped against the opposite sides of the latter for establishing a permanent connection, as required.

In the modified construction of the invention as seen in Figure 7, lift cords will be employed, one of which is shown at l6a, arranged substantially as in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the portions of said cords at the right side of the window not being illustrated.

It is contemplated to use in the construction of the modification now described, housing and guide members 23a, and, in reference to these members provided in both the constructions of this invention as described, it is contemplated that there shall be ample space within the members to permit the sections of the tilt cords to belly when the slacktherein is created by the operation of the lift cords to raise the slats for opening the window space by collapsing the blind in the ordinary manner.

From the foregoing it will be evident that so far as the general method of operation of the Venetian blind of this invention is concerned, regular practice is resorted to in that at the left side of the window the customary operating tilt cords are availed of and at the right side the usual operating lift cords are disposed for ready actuation. However, it will be seen that throughout the length of the slats I there is no interruption incident to provision of the lift cords or supporting and tilting tapes such as commonly used. Very quickly each slat may be wiped off to remove dust or dirt accumulating, something impracticable in the usual or ordinary Venetian blind. The light space likewise, as provided by the separation of the blind slants, is not interrupted by the employment of the lift cords and the said tapes located intermediate the ends of the blind. The sightliness of the blind itself is promoted by reason of the last mentioned factor as well as the cleaning of slats under practical conditions of service.

Ventilation is increased by the omission of the lift cords and tilt tapes intermediate the ends of the slats l.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, a Venetian blind slat, and a tilt member applied to each end of said slat and comprising a body elongated in the direction of the width of the slat and having parts for interengagement with tilt cords, said tilt cord engaging parts including openings to receive tilt cords, the body of the tilt member having compressible sections engageable with the tilt cords.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a Venetian blind slat, and a tilt member applied to each end of said slat and comprising a body elongated in the direction of the width of the slat and having parts for interengagement with tiltcords, said tilt cord engaging parts comprising members for attachment to tilt cords, and tilt cord means looped about the last entioned members to provide a knot engagement therewith.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a Venetian blind slat, and a tilt member applied to each end of said slat and comprising a body elongated in the direction of the width of the slat, and tilt cords frictionally. interengaged with opposite ends of the body of the tilt member to immovably connect therewith, for imparting tilting action to the tilt member.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a Venetian blind slat, and a tilt member applied to each end of said slat and comprising a body elongated in the direction of the width of the slat and having parts for interengagement with tilt cords, said tilt cord engaging parts including openings to receive tilt cords, and slots leading to the ends of the engaging parts from said cord receiving openings, thus forming compressible sections, the latter being forced together to frictionally and immovably engage the tilt cords to tilt same.

ADELBERT F. RICE. ALBERT E. RICE. 

